Coffee lovers in Geneseo may soon have to change their habits, as the Starbucks located on Lakeville Road is set to close.
According to a press release from Starbucks' Web site, approximately 600 Starbucks stores will be closed due to under-performance. Of those, 39 are located in New York.
Approximately 70 percent of the stores being closed have only been open since the beginning of fiscal 2006 or later. The manager and staff members at the Geneseo location declined to comment on the closing.
Starbucks announced on July 1, 2008 that the closings would begin at that time and would continue through the first half of 2009. Specific closure dates are contingent upon each store's agreements, so it is unclear exactly when the Geneseo Starbucks will actually close. A complete and current list of all stores slated to close is available as a link from the press release on the Starbucks Web site.
These store closings are part of Starbucks' Corporation's plan for a long-term company transformation, to which the company declared its commitment in January. In addition to closing under-performing stores, the company says that fewer than 200 U.S. company-operated stores will open in 2009.
Starbucks Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz said in the press release that the plan is intended to, "Improve the current state of our U.S. business and build the business for the long term."
While this plan may indicate big changes for the Starbucks chain, many students at Geneseo do not feel that their daily lives will change much in the wake of the closing.
"It doesn't bother me very much," said sophomore Lanni Maszerowski. "Starbucks is expensive and I'd rather support local businesses."
Sophomore Megan Pogemiller agreed, saying, "There are so many other options here that are way more convenient. Starbucks' closing doesn't really affect my daily life."
Other students are going to miss what is perhaps the most well-known coffee shop in the country. "I'm going to be sad that I can't get a pumpkin latte," said sophomore Alexa Cavalli.